Statement of Sheldon Adelson, Chairman and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation on the plans for acquiring the gambling market in Japan was the catalyst for raising interest in the same investment of other international casino operators.

Corporation, Hard Rock International and Melco Crown Entertainment also announced the intention of obtaining a license of a gambling regulator of Japan.

“Our ultimate goal is to create a casino in partnership with local businessmen. It is important for us to feel the involvement of local entrepreneurs in the business process — no one wants to invest in the dark,” Hard Rock International Inc.’s chairman James Allen said.

According to Allen, Hard Rock International has already identified 30 potential Japanese partners among local financial companies, manufacturers and land owners.

In turn, Melco Crown’s chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho Yau Lung expressed: “We’ll absolutely spend whatever we need to win”. The statement is mostly addressed to Sheldon Adelson, who has previously announced his intention to invest in casino resorts in Japan about $10 billion.

The first casino resort from Melco Crown is most likely to be built in Osaka.

“We are determined to cooperate with the Japanese authorities and businesses to build the first integrated resort of Melco Crown in Osaka,” said the head of Asian companies.

As in Japan, the process of licensing of gambling activities is under development, international corporations will be able to start work in the local market no earlier than 2019.